Cooling or refrigerating attachment for milk-cans.



'PATENTBD MAR. 3, 1903.

No. 881,025. V

H. S. PARKER. GOOLING 0R REFRIGERATING ATTACHMENT FOR MILK CANS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 11, 1907.

Wifwww 4 f% UNITED STATES PATN rrrc.

COOLING OR REFRIGERATING ATTACHMENT FOR MILK-CANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 11, 1907. Serial No. 383,213.

Patented March 3, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY S. PARKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cooling or Refrigerating Attachments for Milk-Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in cooling or refrigerating attachments for milk cans and other shipping vessels; and the object thereof is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a cooling or refrigerating attachment that may be applied to any milk or shipping can now in use at a minimum expense and be tightly closed by the ordinary milk or shipping can cover, the refrigerating attachment when withdrawn from the milk or shipping can permitting the latter to be used as in ordinary service and closed by the same lid or cover.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a refrigerating attachment for milk cans in a manner as hereinafter set forth which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, efficient in use, employed with the ordinary form of shipping or milk can without requiring a modification in the structure of the neck and mouth of the can and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of the upper portion of a milk or shipping can, showing the refrigerating attachment in position in in the mouth thereof and closed by the lid or cover of the can, and, Fig. 2 is a detail view of the improved attachment.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 designates the can, 2 the body,

3 the breast of the can, 4 the neck and 5 the mouth, into which is tightly fitted the improved cooling or refrigerating attachment 6.

The neck 4 of the can extends in a vertical manner and is of the same diameter throughout.

The cooling or refrigerating attachment 6 comprises an elongated body of inverted truncated conical form, provided at its upper edge with a bead 7, preferably containing a stiffening wire 8. The body of the attachment is of such length when positioned in the neck as to extend into the breast portion 3 of the can. Secured to the body of the attachment, immediately below the bead 7 and at diametrically opposite points to facilitate the application and withdrawal of the attachment with respect to the neck 4 of the can, are the laterally-projecting ears 9. The attachment is constructed from suitable sheet metal and has a closed bottom 10 and an upper open extremity 11 having the same inside diameter as the upper extremity of the neck of the can. Depending downwardly within the body of the attachment are pipes 1213, which open through the bottom 10 into the can, but terminate flush with the latter. The pipes 1213 have angular upper ends as at 14, which, when the attachment is positioned in the neck 4, open into a chamber 4 formed between the neck and the lower portion of the attachment. Openings 15 are provided in the body of the attachment and through which extend the angular ends 14 of the pipes 12-13, the ends 14 being flush with the outer face of the body of the attachment. The chamber 4 is closed at its top by the engagement of the body portion of the attachment with the neck 4 of the can.

In view of the arrangement of the pipes 12 and 13 with. respect to the body of the at tachment, and also with respect to the chamber 4 the heated air from above the milk within the can has an unrestricted circulation through the said chamber 4, into the angular portions 14 of the said pipes and through the latter. The one pipe 13 is shown as having a larger diameter than the remaining pipe 12, the purpose of this structure being to facilitate the circulation of the cold air and rapidly give place to the warm or heated air rising and entering the chamber 4. If the pipes were both of the same diameter, or of reduced diameters, there might be an obstruction to a free circulation of the warm or heated air. when the air is traveling down through the pipes 12 and 13 it becomes cooled, and as it is delivered in cold condition to the upper sur face of the milk through the bottom of the attachment, it will have the continual tendency to force the warm air upwardly. The movement of the vehicle in which the can is being transported will also cause the milk to be set in motion. and accelerate the circulation of the air through the pipes, the circulation of air being wholly carried on within the can and deleterious matter is prevented from entering the can from the exterior, with obvious advantages in preserving the milk from the least contamination during transportation. The refrigerating attachment is frictionally wedged into the upper beaded rim of the can neck 4, and will resist displacement by ordinary vibrations during transportation, but when it is desired to separate the refrigerating attachment from the can neck, such operation may be readily pursued by the application of manual force.

The refrigerating medium used will be preferably ice, which is broken and disposed in the attachment and the latter is then inserted in the neck of the can and tightly closed by the lid or cover 16. The air as it travels through the pipes will be cooled and passes down through said pipes to the milk.

The main advantage of a refrigerating attachment in accordance with this invention is that it can be applied to the form of milk cans now in general use, in view of the fact that all such cans of a given capacity have mouths of uniform diameter, and the body of the attachment being made to conform to necks of various sizes, can, by reason of its tapering shape, be adjusted to a can having a mouth of regulation diameter without requiring any special preparation of the can to receive the attachment. Furthermore, the attachment can be applied to can necks which may have been in use for some time and become dented.

The facility with which the attachment .can be applied is of course due to the tapering shape of the body of the same towards the lower reduced extremity or bottom thereof.

The attachment may be used in any form of can having a suitable neck structure to receive it and operate with equal G'lTlClGIlCY as in the application particularly shown in the accompanying drawing.

The improved attachment is inexpensive, and the cost of manufacture is materially reduced by using a single lid or cover as a closlure for both the attachment and can 1160i.

A refrigerating attachment in accordance entering the milk contained in the can,

thereby preventing injury to the milk by removably and frictionally wedged in the said neck, a chamber being formed between the inner portion of the neck and the attachment and the latter having interiorly located pipes opening through the bottom thereof and with their upper ends terminating at a point removed from the upper extremity of the body of the attachment and opening into the said chamber, and cover means for clos ing the upper end of the attachment and the can neck, the pipes having communication solely with the interior of the can.

2. The combination with a shipping can, of a refrigerating attachment removably disposed in the can neck and forming a chamber with the latter, and pipes disposed at opposite points in the interior of the attachment and opening through the bottom of the body of said attachment, and also through the side portion of the body into the said chamber, one of the pipes being of greater diameter than the other and both pipes having communication solely with the interior of the can.

3. The combination with a shipping can, of a refrigerating attachment removably disposed in the can neck and forming a chamber with the latter, and pipes disposed at opposite points in the interior of the attachment and opening through the bottom of the body of sald attachment, and also through the side portion of the body into the said chamber, both pipes having communication solely with the interior of the can.

4. The combination with a shipping can, of a refrigerating attachment comprising a tapering body closed at its bottom and having a palr of pipes arranged therein, the

bottom and an open top, pipes arranged within the body of the attachment and of less length than the length of the body, said pipes at their lower ends opening through the bottom of the body and at their upper ends opening through the side portion of said body into the neck of the can at a point below the upper extremity of said neck, and cover means for completely closing the upper open top portion of the attachment.

6. The combination with a' milk can, of a refrigerating attachment comprising a tapering body portion removably insertible in the can neck and having a closed bottom and an open top, pipes arranged within the body of the refrigerating attachment and of less length than the length of the body, said pipes having upper angular ends opening through the side portion of the body into theneck of the can, and also having their lower ends opening through the bottom of said body, the pipes at their opposite ends having communication solely with the interior of the can.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY S. PARKER. Witnesses:

ALFRED D. PARKER, GEORGE M. HOWELL. 

